Cushioning product and method and apparatus for making same

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a crumpled paper tube for use as a cushion in packing items, and to a method and apparatus for producing the same.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a cushion of paper, and to a method andan apparatus for producing it.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In packing various items, many kinds of cushions for fillingvoids are known, which are produced from paper web by crumpling. Theyare based on folding or rolling the edges of a paper web inwardly andthen crumpling the folded or rolled paper web. From this continuouslycreated web, individual cushion portions are then cut off to a desiredlength.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to create a paper cushionwhich has improved cushioning properties and is less expensive. Improvedcushioning properties means that the product has higher resiliencyand/or elasticity, or in other words provides better cushioning of itemspacked, in proportion to the quantity of paper used. A cushioningproduct is less expensive if less paper is required to fill a givenvolume, for example on the basis of the way in which the cushioningproduct is shaped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] One such product is characterized according to the invention inthat the cushion is a crumpled paper tube. A paper tube, in theopened-out state, is upset and thereby crumpled. In comparison withprevious products, more air is “trapped” inside this crumpled tube. Thecircular cross-section disposition of the paper leads to improvedproperties in cushioning and padding packed items.

[0005] These properties are improved still further by preferablyproviding that the paper tube is crumpled in the longitudinal directionand in the radial direction.

[0006] The cushioning properties are furthermore improved if the papertube is provided in the longitudinal direction with a strip of paper oradhesive. This is expediently effected by providing that this stripand/or this adhesive is formed when a paper tube is produced from apaper web by folding or rolling in the edges and joining them together.

[0007] It is especially advantageous to use kraft paper, which isalready intrinsically especially stable.

[0008] For producing such a cushion, it is expedient beforehand to“configure” a paper tube, that is, to prepare it, specifically byproviding that one or more paper webs are joined together along theiredges, for instance by directly adhesively bonding overlapping regionsor by gluing strips on. These paper tube webs are then processed furtherto form the cushions or cushion portions in the apparatuses suitable forthat purpose.

[0009] A paper tube web prepared and put together in this way can as aresult be made smaller, or in other words narrower, by providing thatalong the two outer sides of the paper tube, in the flatly put-togetherstate, indented folds are provided. Thus in a small space, more papercan be furnished and transported to the places where the paper tube webis processed further.

[0010] The paper tube web is preferably provided with intended tearingpoints at prepared, standardized intervals. These are points which tearwhen tension is exerted, as a consequence of the weakening of thematerial brought about by them. In other words, if tension is exerted onthe paper tube web, it tears at the points where it is “supposed to”tear as intended. These points are preferably formed by a perforationand/or by certain notches or recesses.

[0011] The method for producing the cushion and the apparatus suitablefor it are embodied such that the paper tube is slipped onto a core,which distributed over its circumference has rollers (inner rollers)that cooperate with rollers disposed outside the core (outer rollers),at least some of which are driven, and that thus draw in the paper tube,pass it between them, and crumple it. This is preferably accomplished byproviding that two groups of rollers, spaced apart from one another inthe longitudinal direction, are provided, which are driven at differentcircumferential speeds, so that between the two groups of rollers,crumpling by way of creasing of the paper material comprising the papertube web occurs, and this creasing is crumpled further upon the passagethrough the second group of rollers.

[0012] This can be improved still further by providing that within thesecond-named group of rollers, further rollers are provided, which aredisposed on a smaller boundary circle, so that the already-crumpledpaper tube is also pushed together in the radial direction and crumpledanew on passing through the last-named rollers.

[0013] An apparatus for producing a cushion of paper comprises theprovision of feeder means for the paper tube web that slip it onto acore and the provision of crumpling means, which crumple the paper tubeweb that has been opened out by being slipped onto the core. The feedermeans are formed by rollers disposed in a first plane transverse to thefeeding direction, which are provided both on the core (“inner rollers”)and outside the core (“outer rollers”) in the apparatus; all of theserollers initially continuously open out the paper tube once it has beeninserted and then slip it onto the core. In further planes extendingperpendicular to the transport direction of the paper tube web, furthergroups of rollers can be provided. They then, as already described,accomplish the crumpling in that first a circumferential creasing occursby virtue of longitudinal compression, and then a radial compactingoccurs by virtue of radial compression ensues.

[0014] Exemplary embodiments of the invention and advantageousrefinements of them will be described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS OF THE INVENTION

[0015]FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a cushion;

[0016]FIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of a paper tube from which bycrumpling a cushion is created;

[0017] FIGS. 3(a) through (f), various schematic illustrations of crosssections of a paper tube;

[0018]FIG. 4, the schematic illustration of a paper web processing unitfor producing a cushion;

[0019]FIG. 4a, the location of the axes of the rollers 16, 20, 21relative to one another;

[0020]FIG. 5, a plan view on a paper tube web;

[0021]FIG. 6, a schematic illustration of a stand with a paperprocessing unit, as an apparatus for producing cushions;

[0022]FIG. 7, in perspective, a further exemplary embodiment of anapparatus for producing a cushion from a paper tube web;

[0023]FIG. 8, part of the apparatus of FIG. 7;

[0024]FIG. 8a, a schematic illustration of the drive of the rollers inFIG. 7;

[0025]FIG. 9, a cross section taken along the arrows IX-IX in FIG. 7;

[0026]FIG. 10, a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 7;

[0027]FIG. 11, a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 7;

[0028]FIG. 12, a cross section taken along ling 12-12 through theapparatus of FIG. 7;

[0029]FIG. 13, a perspective view of the core;

[0030]FIG. 14, a side of the core of FIG. 13;

[0031]FIG. 15, a cross section taken along line 15-15 through the coreof FIG. 13;

[0032]FIG. 16, a second exemplary embodiment (modular construction);

[0033]FIG. 17, the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 16, with half of theframe and the core removed;

[0034]FIG. 18, the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 16, with the coreinserted and the entire frame removed;

[0035]FIG. 19, a section through the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 16;

[0036]FIG. 20, a section taken in the direction of the arrows XX-XX inFIG. 19;

[0037]FIG. 21, a section taken in the direction of the arrows XXI-XXI inFIG. 19;

[0038]FIG. 22, a section taken in the direction of the arrows XXII-XXIIin FIG. 19;

[0039]FIG. 23, a schematic drive diagram for the outer rollers in theexemplary embodiment of FIGS. 16-22;

[0040]FIG. 24, a brake;

[0041]FIG. 25, a slip coupling;

[0042]FIG. 26, a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043]FIG. 1 shows a crumpled cushion, or a crumpled cushion portion 1,having the length (in the crumpled state) a=approximately 28 cm, theinside diameter b=approximately 7 cm, and the outer diameterc=approximately 14 cm. It is understood that these figures are intendedsolely for purposes of illustration and are not to be understood aslimiting. The cushion portion 1 is created by crumpling a prefabricated(configured) paper tube 2, specifically in the form of upsetting in thelongitudinal direction (axial direction) with ensuing compression. Onesuch paper tube 2 is shown in perspective in slightly opened form inFIG. 2, in terms of the cross section of FIG. 3(a). It involves a paperweb 6, which is folded as shown, that is, with two lateral indentedfolds 2′. The folded paper web has a portion 3, at which the two edges4′, 4″ overlap and are glued to one another by means of an adhesivelayer 7. Other possible cross sections of the paper tube 2 are shown inFIGS. 3(b), (c), (d), and (e), and in FIG. 3(c), (d), (e), strips 5 areshown with which the edges of the folded paper web 6, or of two parallelpaper webs 6′, 6″ are joined or glued together. In this prepared form,the term used is also a configured paper web, or a paper tube web 8.FIG. 3(f) illustrates another possible cross section of paper tube 2wherein two parallel paper webs 6′, 6″ are joined or glued together viaadhesive layers 7, 7 between their confronting lateral edges.

[0044] The paper is preferably so-called “kraft paper”, that is, veryfirm, brown packing paper made of unbleached sulfate cellulose, usuallyusing very long fibers, which is therefore especially tear-resistant. Itis understood that this statement should again be understood only as anexample. The webs are glued together, as already mentioned. The adhesivelayers 7 that are striplike in the longitudinal direction of the cushionportion form, optionally together with the strip 5, an additionalreinforcement of the cushion, which enhances the cushioning properties.

[0045]FIG. 4 shows one basic embodiment of a paper processing unit 35for creating a cushion 1. A roll 11 is seated on a shaft 10. The roll isformed by a configured, wound-up paper tube web 8. This tube is drawnonto a core 15 by two pairs of driven rollers 16 and kept on hand there.One pair of rollers 16 can be seen; a further pair is locatedperpendicularly before and behind the plane of FIG. 4, in the samevertical plane. The rollers 16 are followed by rollers 17, which aredriven at a somewhat lower speed, so that between the two creasing 8′ensues from upsetting, and upon passage through the paper tube web 8between the rollers 17 and the core, this creasing undergoes crumpling.Two further rollers 17 are disposed in the same vertical plane, in FIG.4 in front of and behind the core 15, with their axes perpendicular tothose of the rollers 17 shown. Pairs of rollers 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 thatfreely travel jointly are disposed on the core 15 and serve to providefor low-friction travel along the paper tube on the outside of the core.As shown in FIG. 4a, the rollers 16 plunge by an amount h (plungingdepth) between the rollers 20, 21, so that they secure the core 15, in adefined position, against axial displacement.

[0046] One possibility for cutting off individual cushion portions fromthe continuously manufactured band is seen in FIG. 5. Once again, apaper tube web 8 is shown in plan view that has perforation lines 12, ortearing points or lines of separation, at intervals of 80 cm, forinstance. Along these lines, for instance at the spacing of half thewidth of the paper tube web, rhomboid cutouts 13 are provided. If therollers 16 are now stopped at predetermined time intervals, whichcorrespond to the processing of a particular longitudinal portion, andthe rollers 17 are allowed to continue to rotate, then along theperforated line that is then located between the rollers 16 and 17, onecushion portion 1 is torn off. The tearing off can also be done by othermeans in the transport direction T, before or after the apparatus shown.Separating the cushion portions can naturally also be done by a cuttingdevice or other separating devices as well.

[0047] One simple design of a stand with a paper processing unit 35 forproducing such a cushion portion is shown in FIG. 6.

[0048] The stand for the various components comprises a bottom plate andscaffold 31, which has rolls 32 and 33 onto which configured paper tubewebs 8 are wound. The upper roll 32 is the one from which a paper tubeweb 8 is just now being drawn off and processed. Roll 33 is a reserveroll. On the upper end of the scaffold 31, by means of rail 37, slot 36and locking screw 39, the processing unit 35 is disposed so as to beadjustable in height. The equipment can move from place to place bymeans of rollers 38. The mounting of the two rolls 32 and 33 is donewithout shafts on further rolls (not shown.

[0049] FIGS. 7-12 show one exemplary embodiment of an apparatus forproducing a cushion portion 1 in more detail.

[0050] In FIG. 7, a stand 40 can be seen, on the right-hand side ofwhich two rollers 41 and 42 are provided, on which a roll 11 of a papertube web 8 is disposed without a shaft.

[0051] As best seen from FIG. 8, outside the core 15 and thereforehereinafter also known as “outer rollers”, four upper rolls 43, 44, 45,46 and pairs of associated lower rollers 43′, 44′, 45′, 46′ can be seen.Transversely to this, but with axes in the same vertical plane and alsofacing one another in pairs, further pairs of rollers 61, 61′, 62, 62′,63, 63′, 64, 64′ are provided (see also FIG. 11). These pairs of rollerscooperate with rollers that rotate freely on the core 15, namely thepair of rollers 51, 51′, the pair 52, 52′, the two pairs of rollers 53,53′ and 54, 54′, and the pair 55, 55′. Among the “inner rollers” thereare also further pairs, which are disposed with their axes perpendicularto the axes of the aforementioned rollers, but in the same verticalplane (in this exemplary embodiment), that is, the pairs of rollers 71,71′, 72, 72′, 73, 73′, 74, 74′, 75, 75′ (see also FIGS. 12 and 14).

[0052] The cooperation of only one of the outer pairs of rollers, namelyof the outer pairs of rollers 45, 45′ and 63, 63′ with each of the twopairs of rollers 53, 53′ and 54, 54′ spaced apart from one another onthe core 15, secures the core 15 against an axial displacement, despiteits being freely supported; in this respect, see also the explanationabove for FIG. 4a. Since the outer rollers are driven and are inengagement with the inner rollers, the paper tube web 8 is thus drawnthrough between the outer and inner rollers and, as a consequence ofdifferent drive speeds of the outer rollers, is folded between them andthen crumpled.

[0053] The drawing in of the paper tube web is effected by the two pairsof rollers 61, 61′ and 43, 43′ facing one another, while the emergenceof the upset roll is effected by the pairs of rollers 64, 64′ and 46,46′.

[0054] For driving the “outer roller”, a central electrical drive motor80 is provided, to which a gear 81 for stepping down the rotary speed isflanged. The power takeoff shaft 82 is connected to the gear 83, whichin turn first drives the shaft 84, deflected by 90°, and second drivesthe shaft 85, which in turn, deflected by 90° in the gear 83′, drivesthe shaft 99. The gear wheels 90 and 91 are seated on the shaft 84. Thegear wheel 90 drives the gear wheel 92 on the shaft 93 via a chain 220and gear wheel 91 and drives the gear wheel 94 on the shaft 95 via chain221. The shaft 95 extends from the top inward into the gear 96, whichdeflected by 90° drives the shaft 97, which extends into the gear 98,which deflected by 90° drives the shaft 86 and thus the roller 63′. Alsoseated on the shaft 95 is a gear wheel 100, which via a chain 222 drivesthe gear wheel 101 and thus the shaft 102, on which the roller 64 isseated. The shaft 99 likewise drives a gear wheel 103 (see FIG. 8a),which via a chain 223 drives the gear wheel 107 and thus the shaft 108and thus also the roller 61′. The rollers disposed perpendicularly movefreely in part. The roller 44 on shaft 109′ is coupled to the shaft 84via a bevel gear connection 109. It is understood that pulleys may beused instead of the chains. In this way, it is possible to make do withonly one motor.

[0055] By means of different gear ratios from the shaft 82 to the shaft85 on the one hand (gear 83) and shaft 84 to shaft 95 on the other (gearwheels 91, 94), it is attained that the rollers 61, 61′, 62, 62′ locatedin the vicinity of the drawing-in region, that is, to the right in FIG.8, travel somewhat faster than the rollers 63, 63′, 64, 64′ downstreamof them in the transport direction, so that the aforementioned creasing8′ can occur.

[0056] Groups of rollers are described herein. In the exemplaryembodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the first group is formed by those rollerswhose axes are located (see FIG. 12) in the vertical planes A and B (interms of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 8-12, that is, perpendicularto the transport direction T of the paper tube). The second group ofrollers is formed by those rollers that are located in the verticalplanes C. The third group forms the rollers in the plane D. On theapparatus On the core 15: outside the core 15: Group Vertical Plane“Inner Rollers” “Outer Rollers” First A 51, 75, 51′, 75′ 43, 61, 43′,61′ B 52, 74, 52′, 74′ 44, 62, 44′, 62′ Second C 53/54, 72/73, 45, 63,45′, 63′ 53′/54′, 72′/73′ Third D 55, 71, 55′, 71′ 46, 64, 46′, 64′

[0057] Each two inner rollers (such as 53/54) that are associated withan outer roller (such as 51) and are associated with one another by thesymbol “/” have a certain spacing from the plane C shown in FIG. 12, butthis spacing is not critical in the present situation. They cooperatewith a third roller and serve to fix the core 15 in the axial direction(see the explanation above for FIG. 4a).

[0058] The rollers of the first group travel at a “first”circumferential speed, and the rollers of the second group travel at a“second” circumferential speed that is less than the firstcircumferential speed. The result is a crease (see 8′ in FIG. 4), whichupon passage through the second group is also crumpled.

[0059] Upon passage through the rollers of the third group in plane D,crumpling occurs again, specifically as a consequence of the lesserdiameter of the core 15 at this point, including in the radialdirection. This radial decrease in diameter takes place at thetransition of the paper tube from the portion 200 to the portion 201(see FIG. 13). The term “diameter” is not meant to be understoodstrictly here but instead pertains to the approximate outline around theplates 130, 131, 150, 151 at the applicable point. Accordingly,compressive crumpling of the paper tube takes place in the axialdirection and in the radial direction, the latter taking place in/afterthe diameter reduction of the core and thus of the paper tube.

[0060] In FIGS. 13-15, the construction of the core 15 in detail.

[0061] As seen in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the core 15 is constructed of twoparts, namely a front part 120 in terms of the transport direction and arear part 121 in terms of the transport direction. The dividing line ismarked 120′. The two parts are joined together, in this specific case inthat the front part has a connecting element 125, which is connected onthe one hand to the front part 120 by means of the screw 126 and on theother to the rear part 121 by means of the screw 127.

[0062] If the two parts are viewed together in the assembled state (seeFIG. 14), it can be seen that the core 15 substantially comprises anupper plate 130 and a lower plate 131, which are joined to one another,via spacers 140, 141, 142 that are disposed between them, by means ofscrews 145. The rollers 71′-75′ (and behind them and therefore notvisible, the rollers 71-75) are then disposed between the plates.

[0063] Both on the upper plate 130 and on the lower plate 131, twofurther plates 150, 151 each are disposed continuously (but in twoparts, corresponding to the front part 120 and the rear part 121), thesefurther plates being parallel and perpendicular to the plates 130, 131;these further plates serve to support the rollers 51-54, that is, on theunderside 51′-55′.

[0064]FIG. 16 shows a further exemplary embodiment of modularconstruction, in which all the rollers are disposed inside a boxlikeframe 230, which comprises two frame portions 231 and 232, bent at rightangles, which are screwed to another by means of the angle brackets 233.The shaft 234 protrudes from the frame 230 at the bottom. It correspondsto the shaft 84 in FIG. 8 and FIG. 8a and is connected to a drive motor,not shown in FIG. 16. Within the module, the core is also fixed in theaxial direction between the rollers. A guide baffle 236 that isadjustable by means of screws is disposed on the frame, and the papertube web 8 can be delivered via its guide face 237. The paper tube webis drawn across the mushroom-shaped inlet head 238 and opened out in theprocess and pulled through between the rollers.

[0065] As seen from FIGS. 20 and 23, the shaft 234 carries the outerroller 241 and, via the two bevel gears 301 and 302, drives the shaft303 and thus also the roller 251. The shaft 303, via the bevel gears304, 305, then drives the shaft 306 and thus also the roller 241′. Theshaft 234 moreover, via the bevel gear 307 and the bevel gear 308,drives the shaft 309, on which the roller 251 is seated. The rollers241, 241′, 251, 251′ cooperate in such a manner with rollers 261, 261′,262, 262′, 271, 271′, 272, 272′, disposed freely rotatably on theinternal tube 310, which is part of the core 235, that when the shaft234 is driven, a paper tube web 8 is pulled through, between the outerrollers and the inner rollers. The rollers 261, 261′, 271, 271′ areseated perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 20 just before the rollers262, 262′, 271, 271′ (see FIG. 19 and FIG. 26). The two “inner rollers”disposed in pairs before and behind the plane in FIG. 20 cooperate withthe “outer rollers” in order to axially fix the core.

[0066] Seated on the shaft 303 (FIG. 20) on one side (to the right) ofthe roller 251 is the gear wheel 311, and on the other is the gear wheel312.

[0067] The gear wheel 311, via a chain or pulley (not shown), drives thegear wheel 313 on the shaft 314 (see FIG. 21). The shaft 314 carries thebevel gears 315 and 316, which via the bevel gears 317 and 318 drive theshafts 319 and 320. In this way, the rollers 240, 240′, 250, 250′ seatedon these shafts are driven, and in turn cooperate with the rollers 260,260′, 270, 270′ in such a way that between a paper tube web 8 can bedrawn in and pulled through.

[0068] The gear wheel 312 (FIG. 20), via a chain or a pulley (notshown), drives the gear wheel 325 (see FIG. 22), on which the shaft 326that carries the roller 252 is seated. Via the bevel gears 327, 328,329, 330, the shaft 326 drives the shafts 331 and 331′ and thus therollers 242, 242′ seated on them. Seated on the lower end of the shaft331 is a bevel gear 332, which drives a bevel gear 333. The latterdrives the shaft 334 and thus the roller 252′.

[0069] In this exemplary embodiment, the rollers 242, 242′, 252, 252′(“outer rollers”) are not assigned any corresponding rollers,cooperating with them, on the core or on the internal tube 310. To bringabout the crumpling of the tube passing between these rollers on the onehand and the internal tube 310 on the other and already crumpled and nowradially compressed, and to improve this crumpling and at the same timeto reinforce the feeding of the tube in the transport direction T, therollers 242, 242′, 252, 252′ have pins 335 distributed at regularintervals along their circumference.

[0070] The shafts are each in bearings 359 that are provided in gibs350-357 (see FIG. 17). The gibs are screwed to the frame portions 231and 232, for example by means of the screws 358 (see FIG. 16).

[0071] Thus a paper web tube 8 is drawn manually onto the core 235 inthe transport direction T at the beginning of the procedure, placedbetween the rollers 250, 250′, 240, 240′ (outer rollers) and the rollers260, 260′, 270, 270′ (inner rollers), and as soon as these rollersengage it, it is drawn by them continuously between them and pulledthrough between them, because of the fact that the outer rollers aredriven as described. Next, they are pulled through between the rollers251, 251′, 241, 241′ (outer rollers) and the rollers 261, 261′, 262,262′, 271, 271′, 272, 272′ (inner rollers), but at a lower speed.Accordingly what occurs between these two groups of rollers is acreasing, which is not shown in these drawings, but can be seen in FIG.4 (at 8 a). The first group is formed by the outer rollers 240, 240′,250, 250′ and the inner rollers 260, 260′, 270, 270′. The second groupis formed by the outer rollers 241, 241′, 251, 251′ and the innerrollers 261, 261′, 262, 262′, 271, 271′, 272, 272′. To make it possiblefor the creasing to occur, however, the diameter of the paper web tubemust be correspondingly greater than that of the core.

[0072] The different speeds of the first and second groups of rollers isdue to the fact that the gear ratio of the gear wheel 311 (FIG. 20) tothe gear wheel 313 is designed accordingly.

[0073] A further crumpling then takes place upon the reduction in theradial spacing (relative to the center line of the internal tube 310) ofthe paper web tube as it is transported from this second group ofrollers to the third group of rollers, formed by the rollers 242, 242′,252, 252′. These are “outer rollers”. This exemplary embodiment does nothave any “inner rollers” corresponding to outer rollers 242, 242′, 252,252′. Nevertheless, further crumpling occurs. The speed of revolution ofthis third group of rollers is determined by the gear ratio of gearwheel 312 (FIG. 20) to gear wheel 325 (FIG. 22).

[0074] It should furthermore be noted that the inner rollers aresupported on the internal tube 310 because suitably U-shaped bearingbrackets 360 are screwed onto the internal tube (FIGS. 20, 21).

[0075] To brake outer rollers of the first group of rollers, or —moreprecisely—the driven outer rollers 240, 240′, 250, 250′ (see FIG. 21),in order to bring about tearing off of the paper web tube at the“intended tearing points” 9/9′ (see FIG. 5), the following provisionsare made: A brake wheel 361, fixed in a groove 363 by a tongue 362, isdisposed on the shaft 320 (FIG. 21). The brake wheel 361 can, as seenfrom FIG. 24, be brought to a standstill by a brake belt 365, when theelectric motor 366 is excited. Then the armature 367, on which theretaining rod 368 is secured with the brake belt 365, is drawn inward byapproximately 2 mm in the direction of the arrow. This tenses the brakebelt 365 and stops the motion of the shaft 320. As a consequence of thegeared connection via bevel gears and shafts, this stop then causes acorresponding stop of the outer rollers 240, 240′, 250, 250′ shown inFIG. 21.

[0076] So that despite the aforementioned stop, the driven rollers 241,241′, 251, 251′ (FIG. 20) can continue to rotate, the gear wheel 313(FIG. 21), which is driven by shaft 303 via the gear wheel 311 andpulleys, is supported on the shaft 314 by means of a slip coupling 370,which is shown in further detail in FIG. 25. This slip coupling makes itpossible for the second group of rollers to continue rotating while thefirst group is stopped. The paper web tube then tears.

[0077] The slip coupling functions as follows: The roller 250 issupported on the shaft 314 in the groove 369 by means of the tongue369′. The gear wheel 313 rests laterally on the roller 250 but is notsolidly connected to it. Inside the gear wheel 313, there is a furthergear wheel 371, whose left-hand shoulder 371′ is seated on an associatedshoulder face 313′ of the gear wheel 313. The gear wheel 371 is coupledin the direction of rotation to the shaft 314 by the tongue 372 alsoengaging the groove 369 and is pressed from right to left (in FIG. 25)into contact against the gear wheel 313. An adjusting screw 374 isscrewed into a recess 373, provided with a female thread 373′, in thegear wheel 371. The adjusting screw, with its outer shoulder 374′,presses against the cup spring 375, which in turn, with its outer leg375′ bent over inward, exerts pressure on the gear wheel 313. Theadjusting screw 373 is fixed in the axial direction because it isscrewed onto a male thread of the tubule 376, which is disposed fixedlyon the shaft 374 by means of a pin 377. In other words, the farther theadjusting screw 374 is screwed inward (to the left in FIG. 25), theharder the cup spring 375 with its leg 375 presses on the end face ofthe gear wheel 313. As a result, the shaft 314 is coupled frictionallyto the gear wheel 313. However, the coupling is dimensioned such thatwhenever—as described—the shaft 314 is brought to a stop, the gear wheel313, overcoming this friction, can rotate further. The adjusting screw374 can be adjusted from outside by the engagement of a suitable pinwith one of the transverse bores 378.

[0078] The braking device, comprising electromagnet 366 and brake belt365, is connected to a support plate 380, which is screwed to the frameportion 232 (see FIG. 26).

What is claimed is:
 1. A cushioning product comprising: an elongatedpaper tube, said elongated paper tube formed from a pair of elongatedsheets of paper having confronting lateral side edges joined together toform said tube, which has been crumpled around a circumference thereofsuch that said crumpled paper tube has a resilience greater than that ofsaid elongated paper tube in an uncrumpled state.
 2. The cushioningproduct of claim 1 wherein said elongated paper tube is crumpled in alongitudinal direction.
 3. The cushioning product of claim 1 whereinsaid elongated paper tube is crumpled in a radial direction.
 4. Thecushioning product of claim 1 wherein said elongated paper tube iscrumpled in a longitudinal direction and in a radial direction.
 5. Thecushioning product of claim 1 wherein said confronting lateral sideedges are adhesively joined together.
 6. The cushioning product of claim1 wherein said paper tube is a Kraft paper tube.
 8. A paper tube fromwhich to produce a cushioning product, said paper tube comprising: apair of elongated sheets of paper having confronting lateral side edges;said lateral side edges being joined together longitudinally to formsaid paper tube.
 9. The paper tube of claim 8 wherein said lateral sideedges are adhesively joined together.
 10. The paper tube of claim 9wherein an adhesive is positioned between the confronting lateral sideedges.
 11. The paper tube of claim 8 wherein said paper tube is woundinto a roll.
 12. The paper tube of claim 8 further includinglongitudinally spaced lines of separation facilitating separating saidpaper tube in two.
 13. The paper tube of claim 12 wherein saidlongitudinally spaced lines of separation are perforations.
 14. Thepaper tube of claim 8 wherein said paper tube is a Kraft paper tube. 15.A method for producing a cushioning product comprising: providing anelongated paper tube formed from a pair of elongated sheets of paperhaving confronting lateral side edges joined together to form said tube;providing a core; drawing the paper tube over the core; and crumplingthe paper tube around a circumference thereof.
 16. The method of claim15 wherein the elongated paper tube is crumpled in a longitudinaldirection.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein the elongated paper tubeis crumpled in a radial direction.
 18. The method of claim 15 whereinthe elongated paper tube is crumpled in a longitudinal direction and ina radial direction.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the paper isdrawn over the core by driving rollers.
 20. The method of claim 15wherein the core includes idler rollers facilitating the paper tubebeing drawn over the core by the driving rollers.
 21. The method ofclaim 19 wherein the driving rollers include longitudinally spaced apartfirst and second sets of driving rollers.
 22. The method of claim 21wherein the first and second sets of driving rollers rotate at differentangular velocities.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first set ofdriving rollers rotates at an angular velocity greater than the angularvelocity of the second set of rollers.
 24. The method of claim 23wherein the second set of driving rollers is positioned downstream fromthe first set of driving rollers.
 25. The method of claim 21 wherein thesecond set of driving rollers is downstream of said first set of drivingrollers, and each set of driving rollers includes at least two opposedrollers, and wherein the spacing between the surfaces of said opposedrollers of said second set of rollers is less than the spacing betweenthe surfaces of said opposed rollers of said first set of rollers. 26.The method of claim 24 further comprising separating the cushioningproduct in two by stopping the first set of driving rollers whilecontinuing to drive the second set of driving rollers.